Liquid synthetic polymeric solutions are emulsified or activated in order to render a solution usable for various processes. The emulsification of concentrated liquid synthetic polymeric solution requires the stripping of oil which surrounds polymer capsules and subsequently hydrating the polymer capsules After the polymer capsules are hydrated, the polymer solution is aged. The polymer solution swells and elongates (uncoils) rendering a solution usable for further processing.
Emulsification of concentrated polymeric solution (CPS) is typically accomplished by feeding a supply of CPS from a storage tank through a metering pump and a supply line to an eductor system. The eductor system includes a high speed centrifugal pump (HSCP) where CPS is mixed with water to form a diluted polymer solution (DPS). The diluted polymer solution (DPS) is then delivered to an aging tank where DPS is stored for aging. After aging, the DPS is usable for further processes. After the aging tank is filled, the metering pump and high speed centrifugal pump are shut off. When the aging tank is emptied, the metering pump and high speed centrifugal pump are activated to emulsify a new supply of CPS from the neat storage tank.
However, the emulsification of CPS requires precise control of the conditions in order to produce high quality polymeric solutions. The CPS is known to separate over time into oil and neat polymer, forming a non-homogeneous CPS.
In the previously known emulsification systems, CPS remains in the feed supply from the storage tank to the eductor system after shutdown of the pumps. If the system is shut down for more than a short time, the CPS separates into non-homogeneous CPS. Thus, when the pumps of the previously known systems are restarted, non-homogeneous CPS is delivered to the eductor system for hydration. The DPS mixed using the non-homogeneous CPS produces inferior DPS.
Additionally, highly viscous aged DPS is accumulated in the HSCP upon shutdown of the pumps. When the system is restarted after shutdown the accumulation of highly viscous DPS requires a pump motor capable of producing high torque to pump the highly viscous aged DPS.